ous fisherman, "do not mistake me. The pity
of the suffering and poor is not like the scorn of the rich and worldly.
If I touch a sore, I do not bruise it with my heel. Thy present pain is
better than the greatest of all thy former joys."

"Enough, old man," said the other in a smothered voice, "thy words are
forgotten. Eat without fear, for the offering is bought with earnings as
pure as the gleanings of a mendicant friar."

"I will trust to the kindness of St. Anthony and the fortune of my
hook," simply returned Antonio. "'Tis common for us of the Lagunes to go
to a supperless bed: take away the basket, good Jacopo, and let us speak
of other things."

The Bravo ceased to press his food upon the fisherman. Laying aside his
basket, he sat brooding over what had occurred.

"Hast thou come thus far for naught else, good Jacopo?" demanded the old
man, willing to weaken the shock of his refusal.

The question appeared to restore Jacopo to a recollection of his errand.
He stood erect, and looked about him, for more than a minute, with a
keen eye and an entire intentness of purpose. The look in the direction
of the city was longer and more earnest than those thrown towards the
sea and the main, nor was it withdrawn, until an involuntary start
betrayed equally surprise and alarm.

"Is there not a boat, here, in a line with the tower of the campanile?"
he asked quickly, pointing towards the city.

"It so seems. It is early for my comrades to be abroad, but the draughts
have not been heavy of late, and the revelry of yesterday drew many of
our people from their toil. The patricians must eat, and the poor must
labor, or both would die."

The Bravo slowly seated himself, and he looked with concern into the
countenance of his companion.

"Art thou long here, Antonio?"

"But an hour. When they turned us away from the palace, thou knowest
that I told thee of my necessities. There is not, in common, a more
certain spot on the Lagunes than this, and yet have I long played the
line in vain. The trial of hunger is hard, but, like all other trials,
it must be borne. I have prayed to my patron thrice, and sooner or later
he will listen to my wants. Thou art used to the manners of these masked
nobles, Jacopo; dost thou think them likely to hearken to reason? I hope
I did the cause no wrong for want of breeding, but I spoke them fair and
plainly as fathers and men with hearts."

"As senators they have none. Thou little understan